Kidnapping

There are many among us who would never believe that a democratic government would act in such a way as to kidnap their own citizens and interrogate them for hours and use other illegal tactics to coerce them into becoming an informant. But then there are the conspiracy theorists, cynics, and other more knowledgeable souls who are not only not surprised but have been saying the government is regularly violating national and international laws in the so-called war on terror.

In an interesting development in Australia, the Secretary of the Attorney General's Department has filed a complaint to the Judicial Commission of NSW to investigate a Judge, Michael Adams of the NSW Supreme Court, who ruled evidence obtained by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) inadmissible on the grounds that it was obtained unlawfully.

The complaint seems to stem from the judge's characterization of the officers involved as providing testimony that was unconvincing and untruthful. It appears the Head of ASIO feels that his fellas did not get a chance to address the criminal conduct they have allegedly committed. But, to the contrary, they have and the judge found it to be unconvincing and at times untruthful.

It will be interesting to see where this goes as there has been a change of government and it is not clear whether the new government and the new Attorney General will continue to pursue this. In any event the Judicial Commission will investigate but it cannot discipline judicial officers. The complaint seems destined to have the opposite effect to what is intended as if it proceeds it is likely to shine the light even more brightly on the actions of those in Australia's security and intelligence services and the methods employed by them and the impact this has on the civil rights of ordinary Australians.

Shine that light into the dark abyss that the war on terror has become...a good fight is a clean fight!